DOV BEREL’S WILL

I, the undersigned, hereby testifying, my signature below bearing witness upon me as would one hundred witnesses, as to how I do bestow, as grant in totality, from and until after my death, my entire estate - that in monies and that in cash equivalents - in the manners described:

(a) The monies in cash that shall be found in my possession, as well as promissory notes and other monetary equivalents, shall be distributed equally to my descendents that are living in the Land of Israel, that is, to my son Shmu’el Chaim and to his bride Mindl [uncertain here due to poor copy], and to my daughter Leah Marder, in equal parts

(b) Prior to the distribution of my estate, as mentioned in paragraph (a), and before my burial, 6 Liras of the Land of Israel shall be removed (from my estate and paid) to the Burial Society for the cost of my burial, and, for the Charity Fund Society attached to the synagogue of Hadera, nine Liras of the Land of Israel shall be set aside - as payment of the sum of 10 Liras of the Land of Israel that I pledged to the Charity Fund.

(c) My son Shmu’el Chaim must remove the lawsuit against me and must abandon any kind of monetary claim that he has against me, and afterwards he shall receive his portion.

(d) My books, together with the book cabinet, shall be delivered to the local “Chasidim” synagogue except for the book, “Bet Aharon” (House of Aharon) and the Scroll of the Book of Esther, (which) shall be given to Yechiel (uncertain) Orenstein.

(e) I appoint Yechiel (uncertain) Orenstein and my daughter Leah Marder as trustees to ensure that all my wishes will be executed.

With clear and sound mind, I have thereupon placed my signature.

The second day of Tishrei, the year of 5698 (September 7, 1937)

Dov (sic) son of Reb Mordechai Yitzhak Eizenberg

When this will was written, five of Dov Berel’s seven children were still alive.  They were Herschel (US), Motol (Australia) Shmuel Chaim (Palestine), Ryfka (US), and Leah (US/Palestine).  It appears that the primary criteria for inheritance were residency in, or allegiance to Palestine.  Although Leah Marder was a US citizen (1933) she and her family lived in Palestine for extended periods of time. 

Sara Plen wrote the following after reviewing the will:

“My Mom (Leah) told me that after her mother (Elka) was institutionalized in Jerusalem Dov Berel wrote to all his children saying that if they were willing to come to Palestine and live with him until he died, he would leave the property to them. Since no one wanted to live in Palestine they refused…. My Mom and Dad were ardent Zionists and wanted to live in Palestine…so they were the ones to come and also inherit."

At this time I know nothing about the lawsuit referred to.  One would think that a child who was suing his father would be a less likely inheritor than another sibling that was not…but who knows what lurks in the mind of an Ajzenberg? 

According to Sara Plen, Mr. Orenstein was a good friend of Dov Berel and was highly respected in Hadera.  Sara remembers being told that when Dov Berel was close to death that he asked her father to get Mr. Orenstein and that when Mr. Orenstein arrived they poured some schnapps and drank a Shecheyanu.

Dov Berel died one month after signing his will.

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